Texas Rangers: Struggling right-hander Chan Ho Park was placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday because of a strained lower back.

	Park

The move was retroactive to Monday, a day after Park (1-3, 7.16 ERA) allowed five runs on four hits and five walks in four innings against the Yankees. He threw more balls than strikes (48-44) in the game the Rangers came back to win 10-7 after falling behind 5-4.

"The day before yesterday was the first time we felt it was hampering his ability to pitch," manager Buck Showalter said. "We want to clean it up and see if we can get him back 100 percent."

The Rangers, who opened a three-game series Tuesday in Toronto, also recalled infielder Mike Lamb from Triple-A Oklahoma and called up infielder Donnie Sadler.

Catcher Chad Kreuter, signed by the Rangers during the offseason to be Park's personal catcher like he had been with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2000 and 2001, was released Monday. The Rangers said Tuesday that Kreuter had cleared waivers and would have 72 hours to accept an outright assignment to Triple-A Oklahoma.

Park never went on the disabled list in six-plus seasons with Los Angeles before signing a $65 million, five-year contract with the Rangers in December 2001.

Park has been bothered by stiffness in his back since the end of spring training, and had the same problem some last season.

Milwaukee Brewers: Reliever Valerio De Los Santos, the team's top left-handed setup man out of the bullpen, was placed on the 15-day disabled list with tendinitis in his left shoulder.

"There's no structural damage,'' Milwaukee manager Ned Yost said.

To replace De Los Santos on the roster, the team recalled left-hander Leo Estrella from Triple-A Indianapolis.

He was having a lot of success in Triple-A," Yost said. "He's a solid, groundball middle reliever. We can count on him to go two innings."

Right-handed reliever Jayson Durocher, on the disabled list after undergoing surgery to remove bone spurs in his right elbow, threw 46 pitches in the bullpen. Yost said Durocher will probably throw batting practice Friday and soon head to a minor league rehabilitation assignment that could last 7-to-10 days.

The Minnesota Twins: Utility infielder Denny Hocking, who's been out with a bone spur in his left elbow, was placed on the 15-day DL retroactive to April 22.

First baseman Todd Sears was recalled from Triple-A Rochester to take Hocking's place on the roster. Sears, 27, hit .387 with two home runs and 13 RBI in eight games for Rochester.

New York Yankees: Jose Contreras struck out eight and allowed three hits and no runs over five innings in his first minor league start Tuesday.

Contreras, who signed a four-year, $32 million contract with the Yankees but struggled in the bullpen, was overpowering in his performance for Triple-A Columbus. His fastball topped out at 98 mph, and he consistently threw in the mid-90s in a 7-1 victory over host Toledo.

He was ineffective as a reliever for the Yankees, going 1-0 with a 10.80 ERA in five appearances, and he was demoted so he could get more chances to pitch.

Contreras said the biggest difference since being sent down was being out of the New York spotlight.

"I was able to relax and find myself," he said through an interpreter. "It's a little different, because you don't have the pressure of the game. In New York, the goal is to win every game."

Only once did he get in a jam, giving up a leadoff double to Kevin Witt in the second inning.

Clippers manager Bucky Dent said Contreras will get another start Sunday.

St. Louis Cardinals: Rick Ankiel threw two wild pitches, walked two batters and gave up a run in two-thirds of an inning for Double-A Tennessee.

In a relief appearance against Orlando, the Double-A affiliate of the Devil Rays, Ankiel faced five batters and threw 21 pitches, nine for strikes. The 23-year-old left-hander allowed an RBI single.

Ankiel won 11 games for St. Louis as a rookie starter in 2000 before control problems sidetracked his promising career. He missed last season with an elbow injury and the Cardinals are trying to convert him into a reliever. He struggled in spring training with St. Louis, prompting the team to send him to the minors to start the season.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays: John Rocker allowed two runs and three hits over one inning for Tampa Bay's extended spring training team.

Rocker struck out one and walked one, throwing 13 of 24 pitches for strikes against Toronto Blue Jays minor leaguers. He was coming off two perfect innings, including four strikeouts, in an extended game last Saturday.

The left-hander said afterward that he expects to join Double-A Orlando this week.